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Brockton, MA

Frequently asked questions

Brockton, MA

Brockton is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States; the population was 105,643 at the 2020 United States census. Along with Plymouth, it is one of the two county seats of Plymouth County. It is the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts and is sometimes referred to as the "City of Champions", due to the success of native boxers Rocky Marciano and Marvin Hagler, as well as its successful Brockton High School sports programs. Two villages within it are Montello and Campello, both of which have MBTA Commuter Rail Stations and post offices. Campello is the smallest neighborhood, but also the most populous. Brockton hosts a baseball team, the Brockton Rox. It is the second-windiest city in the United States, with an average wind speed of 14.3 mph (23.0 km/h).

In 1649, Ousamequin (Massasoit) sold the surrounding Wampanoag land—then known as Saughtucket—to Myles Standish as an addition to Duxbury. Brockton was part of this area, which the English renamed Bridgewater. On June 15, 1821, a portion of the then Bridgewater Township was established as North Bridgewater. Brockton is named after Isaac Brock. He was the British commanding general at Queenston Heights—the first major battle of the War of 1812—where invading American troops retreated in defeat. Because Brock was a loyalist, naming the town after him was a subject of contention among its colonial residents. Ultimately, it was given the name Brockton in 1874 and officially became a city on April 9, 1881.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.6 square miles (56 km²), of which 21.5 square miles (56 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) (0.56%) is water. Brockton is the 162nd largest city by land area in the Commonwealth, and the twelfth largest of the twenty-seven towns in Plymouth County. Brockton is bordered by Stoughton to the northwest, Avon to the north, Holbrook to the northeast, Abington to the northeast, Whitman and East Bridgewater to the southeast, West Bridgewater to the south, and Easton to the west. Brockton is approximately 25 miles south of Boston, and 30 miles northeast of Providence, Rhode Island.

Brockton is mostly an urban setting, lying along the Salisbury Plain River, which once powered the many shoe factories of the city. To the northeast lies the Beaver Brook Conservation Land, attached to the southern end of the Ames Nowell State Park in Abington. There are several parks throughout the city, but the largest is D.W. Field Park, an Olmsted-inspired park that includes ponds, Waldo Lake, and Brockton Reservoir in Avon, as well as a golf course.

Brockton has three hospitals: Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital on the east side, Good Samaritan Medical Center—a Steward Family Hospital (formerly Caritas Good Samaritan, and before that Cardinal Cushing) Hospital to the northwest, and the Brockton Veterans Administration Hospital to the southwest. The VA Hospital is the sponsoring institution for the Harvard South Shore Psychiatry program. It serves as a teaching facility for students of various medical specialties from Boston University, physician assistant students from Northeastern University, nursing students from the University of Massachusetts Boston, and physician assistant and pharmacy students from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Brockton has a community health center that serves individuals with low income and poor access to health care at Brockton Neighborhood Health Center. Brockton places a strong emphasis on health and wellness for its residents. For fitness, Crunch Fitness is here and then for recreation, some places to consider are Fuller Craft Museum, D.W. Field Park, and Ames Nowell State Park.

Top Sites in Brockton, MA: Fuller Craft Museum, Campanelli Stadium, and Brockton Fire Museum.

ZIP Codes: 02301. Area code: 508/774. Elevation: 112 ft (34 m) Incorporated (city): 1881. Area: 21.6 square miles (56 km²). Population: 104,826 (2022).

FAQs

What is a fun fact about Brockton, MA?

Brockton became a city in 1881. Farms gave way to factories, and Brockton became an epicenter of the shoe and textile industries, earning the name “Shoe City.”   At the dawn of the 20th century, the city had a population of 40,000; and more than 6,000 people were employed in over 100 separate shoe manufacturing entities.

What is Brockton, MA famous for?

It is the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts and is sometimes referred to as the "City of Champions", due to the success of native boxers Rocky Marciano and Marvin Hagler, as well as its successful Brockton High School sports programs. Two villages within it are Montello and Campello, both of which have MBTA Commuter Rail Stations and post offices. Two villages within it are Montello and Campello, both of which have MBTA Commuter Rail Stations and post offices. Campello is the smallest neighborhood, but also the most populous. Brockton hosts a baseball team, the Brockton Rox.

Is Brockton, MA a good place to live?

Today's Homeowner analyzed nearly 600 suburbs around the 78 largest American cities to determine which have the best balance of affordability and quality of life. Brockton ranked highest among Boston suburbs, with Framingham, Quincy, Lowell, and Newton following behind, according to the study. Brockton offers a vibrant community with a rich cultural heritage, providing residents with a diverse and welcoming environment," the study's authors wrote.

Sources

Wikipedia

City of Brockton

Axios

Crunch Fitness

Fuller Craft Museum

D.W. Field Park

Ames Nowell State Park

Campanelli Stadium 

Brockton Fire Museum

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